Dear Yossi,

First of all, I would like to thank you for inviting me to read this book and write my thoughts about it.  I found your book to be of value and importance. You, the author, had the courage to address the most sensitive and controversial issues regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

I sensed that there was a genuine invitation in the book to conduct dialogue between the two neighbors, the Palestinian and the Israeli. Addressing the Palestinian as your dear neighbor instead of your enemy moved and fascinated me. Similarly, I was deeply touched by your rejection of terror or hatred in all its forms, on both sides.

Yossi, you managed to strike a balance between your religious and nationalistic feelings on one hand, and the global human values on the other. I believe that your book constitutes a strong foundation for promoting understanding that will in turn pave the way for a constructive dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis as long as both sides harbor good intentions to reconcile.

Finally, I want to ask you a question: do you see the importance and necessity of Israeli compromise vis-à-vis the Palestinians – especially at this point in time – in order to enable them to establish their own independent state? In my honest opinion, if the Israeli government compromised on land and granted the Palestinians their own state on the 1967 territory, the entire Arab League would respect Israel’s decision and would immediately normalize relations with Israel.

Lately we have witnessed significant progress towards the acceptance of Israel in the Arab world. Some Arab states see the importance and benefit of establishing relations with the State of Israel, but they are waiting for Israel to make a move in supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state in order to finally establish relations with Israel openly.

I think such a decision will prove to the entire world that the State of Israel is a state that seeks peace with its surrounding neighbors; that for the sake of proving such intentions, Israel is even willing to compromise on land. I wholeheartedly fantasize about this day.

If this were to really happen, I would like you to consider me as the first Saudi visitor of the State of Israel. Thank you again for inviting me to read your book.

Best regards

Said from Saudi Arabia